Lock-stitch sewing-machine.



PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907.

H. H. CUMMINGS. LOCK STITCH SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 17, 1904.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

Zfla'nesses:

( OM F6416 PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907.

H. H. GUMMINGS.-

LOCK STITCH SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 17. 1904.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

2 a Tif/ Inventor M M fitter-megs witnesses.- (Qma/ F m W.

No. 869,961. PATENTED NOV. 5. 1907. H. H. CUMMINGS.

LOCK STITCH SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEl'I.1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

wa'zfnssess fnvhzorz- M v 6 L 3 a W W 015k I y o -orneya UNiTED sm rs sre ress HENRY H CUMMINGS, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNIONLOCK STITCH COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

LOGK STITCH SEWING-BifhCHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Eatented Nov. 5, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that L'HENRY H. Censuses, a citizen of the United States,residing at Malden, in the county of Middlcsex, State of Massachusetts,have invented a certain new and useful-Improvement in LocloStitchSewing-lvlachines, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings. V

In the drawings,-Figure 1 shows in front elevationa portion of astraight-needle lock-stitch sewing machine employing a hooked needle,with an embodiment of the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 shows theparts of Fig. 1 in elevation from the left-hand side in Fig. 1. Fig. 3shows the parts of Figs. 1 and 2 in plan, with the work-support,awl-b'a-r, and awl omitted. Fig. 4 is a detail view in elevation lookingfrom the left-hand side, as in Fig. 2, but with some of the parts ofFig. 2 omitted. Fig. 5 is a detail view mainly in vertical section on aplane passing transversely through the center of the shuttle at rightangles to the lineof feed. Fig. 6 shows the shuttle separately in plan.Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing a different embodiment of theinvention. Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing still anotherembodiment of the invention. Fig. 9 is a view illustrating theapplication of the invention to a curved needle lock-stitch sewingmachine.

Having reference to the drawings,--A portion of a post or standardforming part of the frame-work of a straight-needle sewing machine isrepresented at 1, Figs. 1 and 2, and at 2 is represented a worlorest orworksupport upon the upper end of the said poster standard 1. 3, inFigs. 1 and 2, is an awl working from above the said work-rest orwork-support, and 31 is the aw1 bar carrying the said awl. Only aportion of the awlbar is shown.

4 is an ordinary hooked straight needle working from below the work-restor work-support, and 41 is the needle-bar carrying the said needle, onlya portion of the needle-bar being shown.

The owl-bar and needle-bar, in practice, respectively have connectedtherewith suitable means for reciprocating the some, and respectivelyare mounted in guides (not shownfas usual, in which they move lengthwisein right lines.

. 5 is a rotary loop-taker having the working position thereof below thework-rest or work-support, the loop-taking point of the said loop-takerbeing designated 59 in the illustrated embodiment of the invention theloop taker is a shuttle. The said shuttle is essentially cup --shaped,as shown best by Figs. 5, 6 and 7 it being formed with a large bobbinchamber which is surrounded by a raised annular rim, and being providedwithin the said chamber with a bobbin-supporting post 51.

52 is a tlu'ead-container, herein a bobbin which 0c ,the shuttle arotatable disk, or the equivalent thcr 0?.

which is eonnxial with the shuttle, it having a working 100 cupies thechamber and is mount-ed therein upon thesaid post.

53, Figs. 1 and 2, is s. shuttle-driver, and 54 is an upright shafthaving the said shuttle-driver attached thereto, the said shaft beingmounted in hearings in the post or standard 1. In practice, the shaft 54has con-' nected therewith suitable means for rotating the same, notnecessary to be shown. The shuttle 5 is niounted in a shuttle-racecomprising opposite side-pieces 6, 6, and a removable section or slide61 between the said 65 side-pieces, the edges of the portions 6, 6, 61,of the shuttle-race entering a circumferential groove 55 which is formedin the exterior of the shuttle, and the removability of the section 61providing for the insertion and Withdrawal of the shuttle.

As thus far described, the parts operate essentially as usual inhookmeedle wax-thread sewing machines. Thus, the owl passes through thestock from one side of the latter to form a hole therein. The needle ispassed through the said hole horn the opposite side of the. stock, 7 5and after having had the needle-thread placed within its open eye by theaction of the thread-guide (looper) is retracted, drawing a loop ofneedle-thread through the said hole. The said loop is engaged by theshuttlepoint and by the rotation of the shuttle is passed around andover the latter, whereby it is interlocked with the shuttle-thread,being then discharged from the shuttlepoint and drawn up to tighten andcomplete the stitch.

The invention consists in improved means of imparting tension to theshuttle-thread, and holding or locking the same against the pull of theneedlethread in the tightening of the stitch. The said means is adaptedto be arranged to act (a) continuously with substantial uniformity inthe degree thereof; or a continuously and with temporary increase in thedegree there of as the tightening of the stitch approaches completion,in order to hold the shuttle-thread at such time against the pull whichis exerted thereon by the needle-thread in setting the stitch; or (c)intormittingly, at and about the time of .the tightening of the stitch,the shuttle-thread being substantially free from the action of thetension means at other times.

In carrying the invention into effect, I combine with position in whichone radial surface thereof is located immediately adjacent the edge ofthe rim of the shuttle, and the said surface cooperating with the saidedgein compressing the shuttle-thread the latter issues between the edgeand the disk. Preferably, the said disk is eon-axial with the loop-takeror shuttle, it may be a separate disk, or it may be one of the heads ofthe bobbin which is contained within the shuttle. The formerconstruction is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings; the latter, inFig. 7. The separate disk of Figs. 4 and 5 is mounted in workingposition by means of a central spindle 81, Fig. 5, projecting down-Weird there-from, which enters the central bore of the tubular post 51of the shut le. lt is supported vertically by annular shoulder thereon tor it may be so engaged with the shuttle as, for by the frictional enagemeot between spind the interior surface of post 5l, as to cause it toremain V to the shuttle. I bobbin is made lar Tim of the upper head 57projects ovor the w in fixed, or substanti lly fixed, relation with. 7,the upper heed 57 of the gel in diameter than the low r heed 55 and whenthe bobbin 1's in place in the o1 cavity of th s shuttle'body themarginal po' of the rim of the sluittlo-body, substantially as in caseof the corresponding portion of the separate ulSL-K 8 of Figs. 4 and 5.by setting the disk and shuttle in proper relationship to cause theacting surface o1 she disk to approach to Within the disc-note? of theshuttlethread with respect to all portions of the e ge of the rim of theshuttles continuity of tension w 1 be pi'oduced. 'In a case in which thecloseness of approach is uniionn around the circuit of the rim of theshuttle the tension of the shuttle-thread will he rendoced unifor o. Bvvarying the closeness of approach on point, by means of a swell 01 riseupon the of the shuttle, shown at 7 in i 4 to 7, an Z'ECEEQQSG oftension will occin" as such point passes and acts upon the portion ofshuttlethroscl issuing between the disk and shuttle-rim, therebyrendering the tension variable by occasioning a periodical gripping orpinching ol the shuttle-thread between the shuttle-rim 'By setting theshuttle--rim and such relation to each other that t ad shall be freefrom compression except .i hen acted-11pm! by the swell or enlargementof the shntl-lorim, this periodical action alone may be secure leavingthe she til o-thrcsd substantially free f Tom the t it means at othertimes. This temporary increase o is tension of the slluttledhresd at thetime of the final tightening of the stitch term the shuttle-thread Theprinciples which are embodied in the shuttlethi'ead lock are asfolloWs:Aftor 3 loop of neodlethread has been enqagcd by theshuttle-point, passed around the shuttle by the rotation of the later,and cast (as from the shuttle, and as the tightening of the stitchadvances to completion, the slmttlaiethrcad look ing surface constitutedby the swell 01' rise aforesaid, passes the portion of shuttle-tl1readcxtcnding 0*; r the rim of the shuttle from the interior of the lattertoward the stitc the stitch. When the locking surface of the shutt.

orming point. The said locking surface presses the said portion of theshuttle-thread in the di-v acts with one of the heads of the bobbin, oranother disk which is connected with the bobbin to rotate in unison withthe latter, the compression or clamping of the shuttle-thread betweenthe said surface and the said bol bin-lieed, or other disk serves alsoby arresting mbly, the compressing and clamping action is lding in orderto obviate tendency to chafing or cutting of the shuttle-thread, as Wellas to render unnecessary extreme nicety and delicacy in the setting o;adjustment of the parts. To this end, in Figs. 4, 5, 7 and 5 a. yieldingbacking for the disk is provided, the

l ing consisting of a spring 9 in tho formof a bent log, which isattached by one end thereof to, the under surface of the work-support.The said spring downwardly curved portion which makeslcontact he upperof the disk. The tension of the s such as to cause tho disk toico-actwith the sur c i to clamp the sh'uttlothrcad with sufficient force toinsure the proper tightening of tho stitch under usual conditions, butthe spring yields to avoid crushing,

ill

cutting, or chafing of the shuttle-thread between the surface 7 and theunder surface of the disk. The tenand curved in its middle portion so asto project above the upper edge thereof. One end of the said spring isfixed to the shuttle-rim, while the other rests freely upon t o top ofthe said rim.

On Milly, the shuttle-thread locking action will not he sufhciontlypronounced in practice to hold. such thread up to the breaking-point ofthe latter. I do not noc sm'lly limit myself, therefore, to :1 positiveand absolutely unyielding locking of the shuttle-thread.

The invention is equally applicable, either to straight-needle machines,as illustrated by Figs. 1 t0 8 4. the drawings, or to curved-needlemachines, as in Fig. 9. In the latter figure, a Work-support isindicated at 111, a curved owl at 112, an oscillating owl-carrier st121, a curved needle at 113, and an oscillating needlecarrier at 131. At115 is a rotary shuttle cooperating with the said curved needle in theproduction of stitches, at 159 the shuttle-point, at 152 the shuttledrivcr, at 154 the rotary shaft on which the said shuttledrlver ismounted," and. at 156 the shuttle-race. The disk cooperating with theedge of 'the ,rim of the shuttle, explained heroinbefore, is designated118, and st ll? is the swell or enlargement of the shuttle-rim, Anelastic or yielding arm, 119, is attached by meansof 2t screw 1201 0 theportion 121 of the machine-framing. The free extremity of the said armprojects in front of the ssh ttle and makes contact Withthe outer sideof disk 118 as n. the czxse'of sffrlng 9 oflFigs. 1 to 7. The said so sto retain the disk in place, and constitutes it backing therefor.

l chimes my invention I 1. In a. lock-stitch sewing machine, thecombination i s. rotary loop .Jsex having a. source of supply for theass , with a rotary shuttle, of a rotatable disk soccer locking thread,of a rotatable disk with a radially-extendingface thereof immediatelyadjacent the edge of'the rimimmediately adjacent the edge of the rim ofthe shuttle.

the said parts being constructed and arranged. to cause the lockingthread to be compressed intermittingly between the said face and edge asit issues between them.

In a. lock-stitch sewing machine; the combination with a rotaryloop-taker having a source of snpplyjor the locking-thread, ofa-rotatable disk occupying a working position with a face thereofadjacent the edge of the rim port! 11 which acts in the rotation of theloop-taker to compress the iocking thread intermittingly as the-saidthread issues between the said edge and face. c

4.111 a lock-stitch sewing machine, the combination occupying a workingposition with a face thereof adjacent the edge of the rim of theshuttle, the said edge having a clamping portion which acts in therotation .of the shuttle to compress the locking-threadintermittingly'as the said thread issues between the said edge and face.

5. In a lock-stitch sewing machine, in combination, a thread-container,a loop-take r rotating around said threadcontainer, and a rotatable'diskwith a radially extending face thereof immediatelyzadjacent theedge of the rim of the loop-taker, the said loop-faker being constructedand arranged to intermittingly compress the locking thread between saidedge and said face of the disk in the rotation of the loop-taker.

6. In a lock-stitch sewing machine, in combination, a

thread-container from which the locking-thread extends 1 toward thestitch-forming point in the machine, and a loop-taker rotating aroundthe said thread-container and provided with thread-compression meansacting in.the direction of the length of the axis of rotation tointermittingly compress the said thread at a point between thethread-container and the stitch-forming point.

7. In a lock-stitch sewing machine, in combinationfthe rotary shuttleprovided with {an intermittingly acting shuttlethread compressingsurface which by the rotation of the shuttle is carried past the portionof shuttle-thread extending over the rim of the shuttle from theinterior of the latter, and a disk which is con-axial with the shuttleand against one face of which the said portion of shuttlethread iscompressedby the said surface as the latter passes, with increase in thetension of the shuttle-thread, to thereby withstand the pull on theneedle-thread in setting the stitch. I Y Y 8. In a lock-stitch sewingmachine, a shuttle-thread lock comprising, essentially, the rotaryshuttle provided with a locking surface which by the rotation of theshuttle is carried 'past the portion of shuttle-thread extending overthe rim of the shuttle from the supply within the f the loop-taker, thesaid edge having a clamping.

latter, and an opposing disk which is conaxial with the latter andagainst one face of which the said portion of shuttle-thread is pinchedby the said locking surface as the latter passes, one of the lockingmembers being yielding 9. In a lock-stitch sewing machine, thecombination comprising the rotary shuttle provided with theintermittingly acting compressing surface, the opposing disk, con-axialwith the shuttle and against which the said compressing surface iscaused by the. rotation of the shuttie to ,clamp the shuttle-thread, andthe spring acting in connection with the saiddisk. i

10. In a lockstitch sewing machine, in combination, the rotary shuttlehaving the rim thereof provided with the swell; and a disk which iscon-axial with the shuttle and against one face of which the portion ofshuttlethread extending over the rim of theshuttle from the interior ofthe latter is-pinched by the said swell as the latter passesthesaid'portion of thread, to thereby withstand the pull on theneedle-thread in setting the stitch.

11. In a lock-stitch sewing niachinegin combination, the

rotary shuttle having the bobbin-chamber and having its rim providedwith the'swell, the bobbin contained in the said, chamber and fromwhichthe thread passes between the edge of one head of the said bobbinand the rim of the shuttle, and over the latter, and a disk which isconaxial with the-shuttle and against one face of which the portion ofshuttle-thread passing over the shuttle rim is pinched by the saidswell'as the latter passes, to thereby withstand the pull on theneedle-thread in setting the; stitch. 12. In a lock-stitch sewingmachine, in combination, a rotary idop-taker, a rotatable disk adjacentthe edge of the rim o'f'the said loop-taker, said parts beingconstructed andarranged to compress the shuttle thread as the lattertravels from a central source of supply be tween the edge-of the rim ofthe loop-taker and the -radially extending face of the disk.

, 13. In a lock-stitch sewing machine, the combination with 'a rotaryloop-taker having a source of supply for I 1 the locking thread, of arotatable disk with a radially extending face thereof immediatelyadjacent the edge of the rim of the loop-taker, the said loop-takerbeing constructed and arranged to cause the locking thread to becompressed intermittingiy between the said edge and face.

14. In a lock-stitch sewing machine, the combination with a rotaryshuttle, of a rotatable disk occupying a working position with aradially extending face thereof immediately adjacent the edge of the rimof the shuttle, the said shuttle being constructed and arranged tocausethe locking thread to be compressed intermittingly between the saidface and edge as it issues between them.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

' HENRY CUMMINGS.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM J. TYLER, CHAS. F. RANDALL.

